Health Benefits of Pine
Immune System: Whether you consume the dried bark peels of pine trees or brew a tea from the pine needles, you will be able to access a considerable amount of vitamin C, an unusually high amount for a tree species, actually. Vitamin C is an essential element of our immune system, as it stimulates the production of white blood cells and has antioxidant qualities that help prevent chronic illness and disease. Furthermore, vitamin C is a crucial component of collagen, which is necessary to create new cells, muscles, tissues, and blood vessels.
Vision Health: There is also a high level of vitamin A and various carotenoids found in pine needle tea and pine bark. Carotenoids act as antioxidants in the body, particularly for the eyes, preventing the development of cataracts, increasing vision strength, and slowing the onset of macular degeneration. By reducing oxidative stress in the ocular system, pine needle tea can keep your vision strong well into your old age.
Skin and Hair Benefits: Vitamin A does a bit more than help your vision; it also prevents oxidative stress in your skin, helping to keep your skin looking young and wrinkle-free by eliminating free radicals. Furthermore, the vitamin C helps to speed the healing process and vitamin A reduces the appearance of blemishes and scars, even from skin conditions like acne. In terms of your hair, vitamin A and C both help give a rich luster to your locks and
prevent hair loss and dandruff.
Pathogen Protection: There are natural antiseptic qualities in pine needle tea, so after brewing and steeping the pine needles, you can allow the tea to cool and then use it as a wash or mix it with carrier oils to apply to the skin, particularly on wounds to prevent infections or pathogens from entering the body. This ability also helps to eliminate pathogens and microbes within the body when the tea is consumed directly.
Circulation: The organic compounds in pine needle tea can help to kick your circulatory system into gear and increase your production of red blood cells, thereby increasing oxygenation to your body’s organ systems, boosting energy levels, and preventing anemia, which is a very common condition characterized by unexplained fatigue, muscle soreness, and cognitive impairment.
Respiratory Health: One of the most common applications of pine needle tea (and bark consumption) is the prevention or treatment of respiratory conditions. Pine has been shown to be an expectorant, helping to eliminate excess mucus and phlegm in the respiratory tracts, while also neutralizing any pathogens or bacteria found in your sinuses. Furthermore, pine needle tea is often recommended for soothing inflammation of the respiratory tract, which helps to relieve coughing, sore throats, and more serious respiratory conditions, such as asthma.
A Final Word of Warning: The potent mix of chemicals and active ingredients in pine can be dangerous for pregnant women, as it has been known in some situations to cause miscarriages. Furthermore, a few varieties of pine can be toxic when consumed, so always get your pine needles and bark from a certified herbalist and avoid picking needles in the wild, as you can’t be sure what other environmental or atmospheric factors may have contaminated the needles or roots.